Screw compressor pulsation damper

ABSTRACT

A slide valve for use in a screw compressor comprises a main body portion configured for sliding in a pressure pocket of a screw compressor to regulate output of a working matter through screw rotors of the compressor. The main body of the slide valve includes a plurality of walls that define an enclosed interior cavity. The slide valve also includes a bore extending into a wall of the main body such that working matter discharged from the screw rotors has access to the enclosed interior cavity. The bore is sized to dampen pressure pulsations in the discharged working matter as the discharged working matter flows through the bore.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates generally to the field of screw compressors. Specifically, it relates to screw compressor slide valve systems.

Screw-type compressors are commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems. Interlocking male and female rotors located in parallel intersecting bores define compression pockets between meshed rotor lobes. Compressors consisting of two rotors are most common, but other configurations having three or more rotors situated so as to act in pairs are known in the art. Fluid enters a suction port near one axial end of a rotor pair and exits near the opposite end through a discharge port. Initially, the compression pocket communicates with the suction port. As the rotors turn, the compression pocket becomes trapped between male and female rotor lobes and the rotor bore wall. The compression pocket becomes smaller as it is translated axially downstream, compressing the fluid within. Finally, the compression pocket rotates into communication with a discharge port and the compressed fluid exits.

Volume V₁ is defined as the compression pocket volume at the instant the pocket first becomes sealed from the suction port. Volume V₂ is defined as the pocket volume just before the compression pocket first communicates with the discharge port. Compressor volumetric flow rate (capacity) depends on the magnitude of V₁. The larger the value of V₁, the greater the compressor capacity, assuming the rotors maintain a constant angular velocity. Rotor, inlet port, and rotor housing geometry define the initial size of the sealed compression pocket. Capacity is therefore fixed for a particular screw compressor operating at a fixed angular speed.

Compressors limited to operating at fixed capacity sacrifice efficiency, particularly when operating under varying load conditions. Because compressor capacity is proportional to system cooling capacity, it is desirable to vary capacity to match dynamic cooling loads. To vary capacity while maintaining a constant rotor angular speed, screw compressors commonly incorporate a slide valve. In a conventional two-rotor screw compressor, the slide valve is located in the cusp of the bores housing the interlocking rotors. The slide valve is movable linearly in this sleeve along an axis parallel to the axis of the rotors, forming a portion of the bore wall. As each set of rotor teeth contact the slide valve, a new compression pocket is sealed and compression begins. Altering the axial position of the slide valve effectively changes the axial point at which compression begins. Due to screw rotor geometry, the compression pocket formed by intermeshing screw rotor lobes is largest at the rotors' suction end and smallest at the discharge end. Changing the axial point where compression begins increases or decreases V₁, and thereby increases or decreases compressor capacity.

The axial position of the slide valve is commonly controlled by actuating a control piston. Conventionally, the control piston is attached to the slide valve by a rigid connecting rod. This allows the piston to transfer either compressive force to move the slide valve towards the suction port or tensile force to pull the slide valve towards the discharge port. It is common for the piston and slide valve assembly to reciprocate in a bore formed by multiple adjoining housing cases. To minimize wear and prevent binding, however, each of these housing cases must be carefully machined and precisely positioned so as to align their bores along a single axis. Such precision in machining and assembly greatly increases compressor cost. One known system, shown in U.S. Patent Publication 2005/0123422 A1, transfers motion to a piston using a relatively flexible rod attached at each end by non-rigid means, such as a ball joint. Another system, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,876, employs magnetic coupling to transfer control piston motion to an exterior sensor measuring slide valve position. Such systems, however, retain a rigid rod as the means for transferring control piston motion to the slide valve itself.

SUMMARY

In exemplary embodiments of the invention, a screw compressor includes a linearly reciprocating slide valve system. The slide valve system includes a control piston axially movable in a piston sleeve, a biasing spring, a slide valve, and a flexible member connecting the control piston to the slide valve and capable of transmitting axial tensile force. In operation, screw compressor discharge pressure moves the slide valve in a first axial direction, while the flexible member moves the slide valve in a second axial direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rotary screw compressor, partially cut away to reveal interior components.

FIG. 2A is a schematic view of the interior of the screw compressor, showing a slide valve in a fully unloaded position.

FIG. 2B is partial schematic view of the screw compressor, showing the slide valve in a partially loaded position.

FIG. 2C is partial schematic view of the screw compressor, showing the slide valve in a fully loaded position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 provides a partial cut away perspective view of screw compressor 10. Screw compressor 10 includes motor case 12, rotor case 14, outlet case 16, slide case 18, motor stator 20, motor rotor 22, male screw rotor 24 a, female screw rotor 24 b, slide valve 26, control piston 28, flexible connecting member 30, suction inlet 32, and discharge outlet 34. Motor case 12 is attached to rotor case 14, forming one end cap of screw compressor 10. Motor case 12 and rotor case 14 together house motor stator 20, motor rotor 22, and male and female screw rotor set 24. Motor rotor 22 drives male screw rotor 24 a or female screw rotor 24 b. Outlet case 16 is attached to the end of rotor case 14 opposite of motor case 12. Outlet case 16 contains slide valve 26. Slide case 18 is attached to the remaining end of outlet case 16, forming the other end cap of screw compressor 10. Control piston 28 reciprocates within slide case 18, varying compressor capacity by changing the axial position of slide valve 26. Flexible connecting member 30 connects control piston 28 to slide valve 26. Low pressure working fluid enters suction inlet 32, is compressed by male and female screw rotors 24 a and 24 b, and exits discharge outlet 34. In the embodiment shown, screw compressor 10 comprises a two-screw compressor. However, in other embodiments, the present invention is readily applicable to compressors having three, four our more screw rotors that employ a reciprocating slide valve system.

FIG. 2A shows a schematic cross-sectional view of rotary screw compressor 10. The end of rotor case 14 adjoining outlet case 16 includes suction chamber 40, male and female screw rotors 24, screw rotor lobes 42, and screw rotor bore 44. Working fluid enters through suction chamber 40 into a compression pocket formed between screw rotor lobes 42 and screw rotor bore 44. As motor rotor 22 rotates male and female screw rotors 24, compression pocket volume is reduced as the pocket is translated towards outlet case 16.

Outlet case 16 contains discharge port 46, discharge chamber 48, and slide valve 26. Fluid exits the compression pocket formed between screw rotor lobes 42 through discharge port 46 and into discharge chamber 48. Discharge port 46 may be radial or axial, depending on the shape and position of slide valve 26.

Screw compressor 10 controls capacity by altering the axial position of slide valve 26. When slide valve 26 reaches the mechanical limit of its axial motion away from male and female screw rotors 24, compressor 10 capacity is at a minimum. The present invention provides an innovative slide valve system 50, where a means for connecting slide valve 26 to a control piston head is flexible rather than rigid. FIG. 2A shows slide valve system 50 in this fully unloaded configuration.

In FIG. 2A, slide valve system 50 includes control piston 28, control piston sleeve 54, biasing spring 56, o-ring seal 58, first piston chamber 60, second piston chamber 62, first sleeve lip 64, second sleeve lip 66, flexible connecting member 30, connectors 70 a and 70 b, slide valve 26, and means for controlling first piston chamber pressure 72. Slide valve system 50 is now in an intermediate stage of loading, operating at some percentage of full capacity. The axial position of control piston 28 controls the axial position of slide valve 26 and therefore compressor capacity. Control piston 28 fits inside control piston sleeve 54 and is capable of reciprocating linearly along the vertical axis of sleeve 54. Control piston 28 may be counter-bored from the underside to allow secure seating of biasing spring 56. Control piston 28 is also sufficiently elongated in the axial direction to minimize torsional binding when the periphery of the head experiences asymmetric frictional forces. O-ring seal 58 prevents fluid leakage across control piston 28, separating first piston chamber 60 from second piston chamber 62. First sleeve lip 64 defines the limit of control piston 28 motion. When control piston 28 is pressed against first sleeve lip 64, slide valve 26 is in the fully unloaded position. Second sleeve lip 66 is positioned at the base of control piston sleeve 54. Second sleeve lip 66 is of dimensions sufficient to provide adequate retention of biasing spring 56 when control piston 28 is fully depressed. Biasing spring 56 is secured such that the lower end is pressed against second sleeve lip 66 and the upper end is seated in the underside of control piston 28. Biasing spring 56 is designed to remain in compression even when released to its maximum length. Biasing spring 56 is at its maximum length when control piston 28 is pressed against first sleeve lip 64, as shown in FIG. 2A.

Flexible connecting member 30 connects control piston 28 to slide valve 26. Flexible connecting member 30 may comprise any non-rigid component capable of reliably transferring tensile loads, such as a wire rope or cable. Flexible connecting member 30 may be formed of any material, metallic or non-metallic, which has sufficient axial tensile strength and is capable of enduring cyclical loading. Flexible connecting member 30 is connected to control piston 28 by connector 70 a and to slide valve 26 by connector 70 b. Connectors 70 a and 70 b may include threaded connectors or any other means for securely attaching flexible connecting member 30.

FIG. 2B shows slide valve system 50 in a partially loaded position. Slide valve system 50 is actuated by pressurizing first piston chamber 60 to overcome opposing force from biasing spring 56. Biasing spring 56 is designed such that it overpowers ambient first piston chamber 60 pressure, pressing control piston 28 against first sleeve lip 64. Means for controlling first piston chamber pressure 72 then increases pressure in first piston chamber 60. Such means generally include at least one solenoid valve controlling the flow of a working fluid, such as oil. Solenoid valves allow for continuous, rather than stepwise control of chamber pressure. When pressure in first piston chamber 60 overcomes the force of biasing spring 56, control piston 28 is driven axially towards male and female screw rotors 24. This motion compresses biasing spring 56 and releases the tension on flexible connecting member 30. Releasing tension on flexible connecting member 56 allows pressure in discharge chamber 48 to move slide valve 26 towards the partially loaded position shown in FIG. 2B and maintain flexible connecting member 30 in tension.

FIG. 2C shows slide valve system 50 in a fully loaded position. Flexible connecting member 30 remains in tension even with control piston 28 fully compressed. Slide valve 26 is located such that one axial end is always exposed to suction chamber 40 and the other end to discharge chamber 48, acting as an effective seal between the two chambers. Due to the nature of screw compressors, discharge chamber 48 pressure is always higher than suction chamber 40 pressure. Pressure in discharge chamber 40 therefore biases slide valve 26 towards suction chamber 40, maintaining tension in flexible connecting member 30 even when control piston 28 is driven to the fully loaded position. Biasing spring 56 and flexible connecting member 30 are sized so that when control piston 28 is in the fully loaded position as shown in FIG. 2C, discharge pressure can drive slide valve 26 all the way to the position that allows rotary screw compressor 10 to operate at full design capacity.

To unload compressor 10, first piston chamber pressure control means 72 decreases first piston chamber 60 pressure until biasing spring 56 can force control piston 28 once again towards the unload position. Flexible connecting member 30 pulls slide valve 26 towards the unload position, and slide valve system 50 returns to the partially loaded state of FIG. 2B or the fully unloaded state of FIG. 2A.

A slide valve assembly often must reciprocate in multiple aligned bores. Slide valve assembly 50, as shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, actuates in three separate mated bores: rotor case 14, outlet case 16, and slide case 18. If control piston 28 and slide valve 26 were connected by a rigid rod as in prior art, the length of the assembly would require that the multiple bores be precisely aligned. Such precision requires expensive machining and manufacturing processes as well as costly alignment dowels. Flexible connecting member 30 allows system 50 to tolerate greater misalignment while retaining the ability to transfer control piston 28 motion in either direction to slide valve 26. By increasing system tolerance of misalignment, slide valve system 50 decreases system cost. Because connecting member 30 is flexible, it does not translate misalignment into torsional forces on the control piston head and the slide valve. Therefore, the bores of slide valve assembly 50 need not be as precisely machined. This design also has the potential to increase useful life of screw compressors by decreasing wear in the slide valve assembly. Because the flexible member transfers only axial tensile forces, misalignment creates less friction between slide valve system components and the walls of the bores they reciprocate in. Furthermore, bushings designed to accommodate wear due to misalignment could be eliminated. Flexible connecting member 30 allows slide valve assembly 50 to tolerate greater misalignments between any number of multiple bores. Its use is not limited to the three mated bores shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C.

Screw compressors commonly incorporate a slide valve system as a means to control compressor capacity. Such systems generally use rigid rods to connect the control piston to the slide valve, requiring precise and therefore expensive alignment of internal components. The present invention uses flexible connecting member 30 in place of a rigid rod. Controlling pressure in first piston chamber 60 causes control piston 28 and slide valve 26 move in unison in either direction, as if connected by a rigid member. In this manner, flexible connecting member 30 retains the functionality of a rigid connecting rod while tolerating greater misalignment. When integrated into a screw compressor, slide valve system 50 decreases both manufacturing costs and system wear and increases system reliability and lifetime.

While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment(s), it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A slide valve comprising: a main body portion configured for sliding in a discharge port of a screw compressor to regulate output of a working matter through screw rotors of the screw compressor; and a pulsation damper carried by the main body to dampen pressure pulsations in the discharged working matter.
 2. The slide valve of claim 1 wherein the main body portion comprises a plurality of walls to define an enclosed interior cavity, and the pulsation damper comprises a bore extending into a wall of the main body such that working matter discharged from the screw rotors has access to the enclosed interior cavity.
 3. The slide valve of claim 2 wherein one of the plurality of walls defining the main body comprises a chevron shaped portion designed to fit between the screw rotors of the screw compressor.
 4. The slide valve of claim 2 wherein the main body portion includes connection means for joining the slide valve with an actuation mechanism.
 5. The slide valve of claim 2 wherein the main body portion includes a discharge pocket for receiving working matter from the screw rotors and directing the working matter out of the screw compressor and past the bore.
 6. The slide valve of claim 2 wherein the bore permits working matter discharged from the screw rotors to pressurize the internal cavity.
 7. The slide valve of claim 6 wherein the internal cavity is configured so that pressurized working matter within the internal cavity extracts energy from the working matter as the working matter attempts to enter the internal cavity through the bore.
 8. The slide valve of claim 2 wherein the bore reduces an amplitude of a sound wave in the working matter as the working matter enters the internal cavity.
 9. The slide valve of claim 2 wherein the main body includes a plurality of bores extending into the internal cavity.
 10. The slide valve of claim 9 wherein the plurality of bores have different lengths to dampen vibrations having different frequencies.
 11. The slide valve of claim 9 and further comprising a plurality of tubes inserted into the plurality of bores.
 12. A screw compressor comprising: a housing for receiving a supply of working matter at a suction pocket; a pair of intermeshing screw rotors disposed within the housing for compressing the working matter and discharging the working matter into a pressure pocket; a slide valve movable within the pressure pocket between the pair of intermeshing screw rotors to regulate the capacity of the screw compressor; and a pulsation damper carried by the slide valve for damping pressure pulsations in the working matter discharged from the pair of intermeshing screw rotors.
 13. The screw compressor of claim 12 wherein the slide valve comprises: a semi-cylindrical body having a high pressure end and a low pressure end; a chevron shaped pressure head positioned along a side of the body between the high pressure end and the low pressure end, and for nesting between the intermeshing screw rotors; and a discharge pocket positioned at the high pressure end of the body for guiding working matter discharged from the screw rotors into the pressure pocket.
 14. The screw compressor of claim 12 wherein the pulsation damper comprises: a resonance chamber enclosed within the slide valve between the high pressure end and the low pressure end; and a damping tube extending through the high pressure end of the body to permit the working matter to pressurize the resonance chamber after being discharged from the discharge pocket; wherein the damping tube reduces an amplitude of the working matter as the working matter enters the resonance chamber.
 15. The screw compressor of claim 14 wherein the damping tube dampens vibration generated by the working matter.
 16. The screw compressor of claim 14 wherein length and diameter of the damping tube is selected to produce a damping tube having a natural frequency matching a frequency of the discharged working matter.
 17. The slide valve of claim 14 wherein the high pressure end of the body includes a plurality damping tubes extending into the resonance chamber and an actuation connector positioned concentrically between the plurality of damping tubes at the high pressure end of the body for connecting the slide valve with an actuation mechanism.
 18. The slide valve of claim 17 wherein the plurality of channels have different lengths.
 19. The slide valve of claim 18 wherein the plurality of damping tubes comprise stainless steel inserts press fit into bores positioned on the high pressured end of the body.
 20. A slide valve for a screw compressor having a pair of screw rotors, the slide valve comprising: a generally cylindrical hollow main body defining an interior chamber, the main body having a first end and a second end; an end cap positioned at the first end of the main body to close off the interior chamber at the first end; a generally v-shaped head portion positioned along a length of the main body configured for positioning between the screw rotors of the compressor; a faceplate positioned at the second end of the main body, the faceplate comprising: a bore for receiving a piston rod; a discharge portion for receiving discharged matter from the screw rotors; an end wall for enclosing the interior chamber of the main body; and a damping channel extending through the end wall and into the interior chamber; wherein the damping channel and the interior chamber are configured as a Helmholtz resonator to extract energy from working matter of the screw compressor.
 21. A method for reducing discharge pulsations in a screw compressor, the method comprising the steps of: passing a working matter from a suction port of the screw compressor, through a set of screw rotors, and to a pressure port in the screw compressor to reduce a volume of the working matter; positioning a slide valve along the screw rotors such that the slide valve extends into the pressure port; and positioning a pulsation damper on the slide valve such that working matter entering the pressure port passes by the pulsation damper to attenuate pulsations within the working matter as the working matter exits the set of screw rotors.
 22. The method for reducing discharge pulsations of claim 21 wherein the pulsation damper comprises a plurality of damping openings extending into the slide valve.
 23. The method for reducing discharge pulsations of claim 22 and further comprising passing at least a portion of the working matter discharged from the set of screw rotors through the damping openings and into a resonance chamber positioned within the slide valve.
 24. The method for reducing discharge pulsations of claim 22 and further comprising matching a natural frequency of the damping openings to a discharge frequency of the working matter from the set of screw rotors. 